Posted on Tue, Mar. 07, 2006

Town Council refuses to pay water district's $5.27 million bill
By NOOR ELASHI
SPECIAL TO THE STAR-TELEGRAM
FLOWER MOUND - The town will not pay Upper Trinity Regional Water District's $5.27 million bill to cover construction delays and time taken to answer questions, Flower Mound officials said Monday.

The Town Council voted unanimously to deny payment of the bill sent by Upper Trinity in October.

"As a mayor, I represent 63,000 residents, and I feel [paying the bill] would be highway robbery," Mayor Jody Smith said, reaffirming that she supports the resolution.

In the past, Upper Trinity officials said that $4.4 million from the bill resulted from delays -- caused by Flower Mound -- in construction of the Tom Harpool Regional Water Treatment Plant.

The water district is shifting the focus from the real problem, said Chris Torley, Flower Mound's representative at Upper Trinity.

"They are taking the poor management of the Harpool plan and blaming it on Flower Mound," Torley said. "This doesn't do anybody any good."

On Jan. 3, Upper Trinity sent a letter to Flower Mound officials that was intended to further explain the bill. But town officials said Monday that the information Upper Trinity sent was "nonconclusive."

The water district has no comment on the issue, said Jason Pierce, Upper Trinity public information manager.

There have been other disputes. The water district considered a bylaw change that would have prohibited Upper Trinity members from discussing certain issues outside their meetings. But the regulation was quickly defeated by Upper Trinity's board.

Torley said that Monday's vote denying the bill sends Upper Trinity a message.

"It will say to stop all this nonsense that's going on," Torley said.

This report includes material from Star-Telegram archives.